Peace and grace in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew 28: 20b
28:20b ..... and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
God is with us always, even to the end of the age. It means He is with us from now on until Jesus comes a second time and we sit with Him on heavenly throne forever.
Moses asks for the accompaniment of God when the house of Israel will go out of Egypt to enter Canaan as written in Exodus 33.
There are two kinds of God’s accompaniment as follows.
We still discuss the first one. There are three forms of the grace of God as follows.
We will discuss the second one.
Exodus 33:14-15
33:14 And He said, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."
33:15 Then he said to Him, "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.
God guides or leads us in the shepherding system.
He shows Himself as the Good Shepherd who gives His soul for guiding the sheep.
In Old Testament, God leads the house of Israel to enter in Canaan.
In New Testament, He leads or guides us to reach New Jerusalem.
Genesis 46:34
46:34 "that you shall say, 'Your servants' occupation has been with livestock from our youth even till now, both we and also our fathers,' that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians."
The shepherding system distinguishes the house of Israel from the Egyptians. It means to distinguish spiritual Christians from worldly ones.
The system of Egyptians or the worldly one is with management system that all things are well managed with worldly system but the purpose is to seek for physical advantage and it is not in line with the Word of God.
The shepherding system is in consecration and accordance to the Word of God although it does not in line to the worldly ways. It is signified by sacrificesfor the interest of other people, even the sacrifice of soul as the Good Shepherd who has sacrificed His soul.
Where must we be shepherded?
We must be shepherded as a branch that dwells in the True Vine. It means we are shepherded to the true teaching Word. The true teaching Word is written in Bible and revealed by a verse that explains other verses in it.
Who must be shepherded?
All servants of God and sheepmust be shepherded. Not being shepherded, we will never feel the accompaniment of God.
Why must we be shepherded?
How can we be shepherded?
Psalm 25:9
25:9 The humble He guides in justice, And the humble He teaches His way.
The shepherding is about our heart. One who can be shepherded is the humble, patient, and meek.
Humblenessmeans an ability to confess the sins to God and other people. Being forgiven, we should not sin anymore.
Patienceis an ability to wait for the time of God although we must suffer.
Meeknessis an ability to obey the voice of Shepherd or the true Shepherding Word and reject the strange voice.
The meaning of the voice of the Shepherd or the shepherding Word is as follows.
The voice of the Shepherd or His stretched hand guides us in these three things.
God blesses you.
Matthew 28: 20b
28:20b ..... and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
God is with us always, even to the end of the age. It means He is with us from now on until Jesus comes a second time and we sit with Him on heavenly throne forever.
Moses asks for the accompaniment of God when the house of Israel will go out of Egypt to enter Canaan as written in Exodus 33.
There are two kinds of God’s accompaniment as follows.
- Exodus 33:12-17; His grace.
- Exodus 33:18-23; His glory.
We still discuss the first one. There are three forms of the grace of God as follows.
- [verse 12-13] He shows us His way, namely the way of cross.
- [verse 14-15] He guides us.
- [verse 16-17] He walks with us.
We will discuss the second one.
Exodus 33:14-15
33:14 And He said, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."
33:15 Then he said to Him, "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.
God guides or leads us in the shepherding system.
He shows Himself as the Good Shepherd who gives His soul for guiding the sheep.
In Old Testament, God leads the house of Israel to enter in Canaan.
In New Testament, He leads or guides us to reach New Jerusalem.
Genesis 46:34
46:34 "that you shall say, 'Your servants' occupation has been with livestock from our youth even till now, both we and also our fathers,' that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians."
The shepherding system distinguishes the house of Israel from the Egyptians. It means to distinguish spiritual Christians from worldly ones.
The system of Egyptians or the worldly one is with management system that all things are well managed with worldly system but the purpose is to seek for physical advantage and it is not in line with the Word of God.
The shepherding system is in consecration and accordance to the Word of God although it does not in line to the worldly ways. It is signified by sacrificesfor the interest of other people, even the sacrifice of soul as the Good Shepherd who has sacrificed His soul.
Where must we be shepherded?
We must be shepherded as a branch that dwells in the True Vine. It means we are shepherded to the true teaching Word. The true teaching Word is written in Bible and revealed by a verse that explains other verses in it.
Who must be shepherded?
All servants of God and sheepmust be shepherded. Not being shepherded, we will never feel the accompaniment of God.
Why must we be shepherded?
- To experience the accompaniment of God, so we will never be dry in our spirituality as a branch that does not dwell anymore in the True Vine.
- To become one flock with one Shepherd or one body with one Head. It means we are in the building of the perfect body of Christ with Jesus as the Head.
How can we be shepherded?
Psalm 25:9
25:9 The humble He guides in justice, And the humble He teaches His way.
The shepherding is about our heart. One who can be shepherded is the humble, patient, and meek.
Humblenessmeans an ability to confess the sins to God and other people. Being forgiven, we should not sin anymore.
Patienceis an ability to wait for the time of God although we must suffer.
Meeknessis an ability to obey the voice of Shepherd or the true Shepherding Word and reject the strange voice.
The meaning of the voice of the Shepherd or the shepherding Word is as follows.
- The true teaching Word trusted by God to a pastor that preaches it faithfully and repetitively to the congregation with a responsibility, so it becomes spiritual food to grow the spirituality of the congregation to reach the perfection.
- The command to do all activities in the sheepfold.
- The stretching of the two hands of the Good Shepherd to lead or guide the sheep.
The voice of the Shepherd or His stretched hand guides us in these three things.
- To lead us in the paths of righteousness and beside the still waters. It refers to the Court of Tabernacle.
Psalm 23:1-3
23:1 << A Psalm of David. >>The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
23:2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
23:3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousnessFor His name’s sake.
The righteous way means we live in righteousness. The still water means we live in peace.
John 18:38a
18:38 Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?"
Pilate is one of the Gentiles. He is a judge who is clever, but he cannot understand the righteousness.
Acts 8:26-31
8:26 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is desert.
8:27 So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship,
8:28 was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet.
8:29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go near and overtake this chariot."
8:30 So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?"
8:31 And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.
The rich Ethiopian has good position, but he does not understand the righteousness.
The Gentiles are only as dogs. They cannot understand the righteousness. It means they cannot distinguish the right from the wrong; they often feel righteous although actually they are naked.
Acts 8:36-39
8:36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?"
8:37 Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."
8:38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.
8:39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.
The Gentiles need the guidance in order to live in the righteousness. The process is as follows.- Believing in Jesus with all the heart and confessing sins with mouth. As a result, there is no condemnation but forgiveness.
- Repenting, namely we stop sinning to return to God and die to sin.
- Being baptized of water and Holy Spirit, namely we are reborn of water and spirit, so we get new life or heavenly one. It means we can firmly distinguish the right from the wrong in all matters. In such condition, we can live in the righteousness for sure.
32:17 The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.
Living in righteousness means we get quietness and peace. All things become calm and we can pass through the storm in the sea of the world, so we can reach the harbor of peace in New Jerusalem.
The Ethiopians have black skin. It refers to uncleanness and filthiness of sin. Nevertheless, there is still an opportunity to get the guidance to walk on the paths of righteousness and still water.
Jeremiah 13:23
13:23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil.
If such person rejects the opportunity and keeps the sins, he will live in the sin forever. In such condition, he becomes as the Ethiopian who cannot change his skin and the leopard its spots, namely dishonesty. It means he becomes the antichrist that will perish. - Believing in Jesus with all the heart and confessing sins with mouth. As a result, there is no condemnation but forgiveness.
- To lead us to enter the sheepfold. It refers to the Holy Place.
Ezekiel 20:37-38
20:37 "I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant;
20:38 "I will purge the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the country where they dwell, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
There are three kinds of equipment inside the Holy Place that refer to perseverance in doing three main services to God as follows.- Golden Candlestick or perseverance in doing General Service.
- Table of Showbread or perseverance in doing Bible Study Service with Holy Communion.
- Golden Altar of Incense or perseverance in doing Prayer Service.
John 10:9-10
10:9 "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
10:10 "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
We must pass through a narrow door to enter in the sheepfold. It means we must crucify or tear our flesh with all its lusts and wills.
The results are as follows.- We are counted. It means we are preserved until we can confess that we do not lack of anything, even we can have abundant life which always give thanks to God.
- We are protected by God, so we are not defiled.
There is a separation in the shepherding, namely we are separated from the evil, unclean, and false.
The more one goes out of the shepherding to hunt his interest, the more he meets evil, unclean, and false spirits.
10:3 "To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
10:4 "And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
10:16 "And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
The voice of the shepherd leads the sheep to go out of the sheepfold to have fellowship with other sheep from other sheepfold. It means we can enter the building of the body of Christ based on the true teaching Word until we can become one flock with one Shepherd or one body with one Head. - Golden Candlestick or perseverance in doing General Service.
- To lead us to enter the last shepherding in New Jerusalem where there is no more tears and death.
Revelation 7:17
7:17 "for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
Why is the Good Shepherd able to lead us to the place where the death cannot rule us?
John 10:11
10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
Hebrews 2:14-15
2:14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
2:15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Jesus, the Good Shepherd, has died on the cross to defeat the deathor the source of tears and failures, so we can get the heavenly joy.
Revelation 21:4-5
21:4 "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."
21:5 Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful."
The proof of going toward New Jerusalem is the life renewalor spiritual miracle.
Revelation 21:27
21:27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
There must be no uncleanness, abomination, and lie. The abomination means one is not willing to be shepherded or he is shepherded but there is no obedience.
The more we are renewed, the more our tears are wiped away and we are joyful.
If the spiritual miracle happens, the physical one will also happen. All problems are settled by God and we are changed to become as glorious as Jesus is when He comes a second time. We are lifted up on glorious clouds to enter New Jerusalem.
God blesses you.